1:13:10 :: 11.1 miles

Easy run wearing extra warm clothes. Not as uncomfortable as last week, and heart rate and recovery were better.

1:09:22 :: 10 miles (10x1k)

Interval workout. 10x1000 in ~3:15 on 5:00. Workout went pretty well. Stride didn't feel the greatest on 7 of 10--a bit clunky due to lack of work in this pace range--but felt quite good on the others. Excellent recoveries from each rep. Last year, was a way different story. Looks like I've made some progress.

TIME(avgHR-120HRtime)
3:12(157-:39) | 3:10(158-:40) | 3:12(156-:51)
3:15(156-:43) | 3:11(158-:48) | 3:15(156-:48)
3:13(157-:45) | 3:12(157-:43) | 3:16(157-:43)
3:12(157-:43)

Did a cold bath and recovery routine after because I have been having some problems with minor muscular injuries the past few weeks. Even though this speed wasn't excessive, I didn't want to take any chances.

The Last Several Weeks

I'm going to kick myself next year for not keeping the blog up to date...

Anyway, what started off the dry spell were some minor injuries to my calf first, and my foot about a week later. Each of those took a few tentative workouts to get through, and, of course, I thought I was losing my fitness every time I did a 4-6 mile run instead of a 12 miler or a workout. So far that is proving to be wrong, and it was probably exactly the break I needed to pull all my fitness together.

I've had a couple of really strong workouts to go along with the disappointing, too short ones, so it's all balanced out nicely. Mystery Coach has been invaluable in his role of Chief Head Straightener during this build.

It's 18 days to the Fargo Marathon. I've got my registration confirmed, and I've started to research the competition. There are at least two others I know of who I should compete well with, and hopefully Chad and Shawn (first and third last year) will be back. Unfortunately, the prize money has attracted some Kenyan talent, which will make it hard for me to get the win I wanted. I say unfortunately not because I dislike them, but because I know they wouldn't show up if the prize money were less, or non-existent. For their purposes, running this marathon is a business decision. Of the thirteen marathons being run on this weekend, Fargo has the largest $$ purse with the slowest average winning time. Instead of going to the Green Bay Cellcomm Marathon, where the purse is larger (and the competition fiercer), these guys are going to Fargo to clean up on the relatively weak field. Unfortunately, that's business.

I'll still be competitive within my group, and hopefully a few of us will get under 2:30. It would be nice to have the Kenyans work the front with us, but with PRs of 2:17ish, even if they run conservatively, on a flat course they would likely be in the 2:24-2:26 range, which won't be helpful.

I'm practicing some Swahili anyway. Cheers.

1:00:00 :: 8.1 miles

Recovery run. Real easy on the treadmill. Gradually went from 9:00 pace to 7:00 pace. Legs felt fine, just want to recover well for the Friday-Sunday gauntlet.

1:20:00 :: 13.5 miles

Volume speed. 3-4 x 2 miles at 11:05 to 10:50 with 1 mile recoveries at 6:20 pace, paying attention to changes in breathing pattern, depth of ventilations. Didn't really find a transition point in the breathing. Each rep, I would have deeper vents over the last .25 mile, but it seemed to be irrelevant of the pace. Otherwise, breathing was very controlled and rhythmic--felt like an easier tempo run at 5:28-5:30 pace, and a harder tempo run at 5:23-5:25 pace. Legs felt the same, very strong and capable, at full range of paces.

Two mile warmup in 13:27
5:31(153) | 5:25(159) - 10:56
6:20(146)
5:31(157) | 5:27(160) - 10:58
6:22(149)
5:28(160) | 5:25(161) - 10:53
6:18(150)
5:23(159) | 5:24(162) - 10:47
Recovery :43(130) :57(120) 1:09(110)